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How To Build Hog Traps

Building hog traps for hog removal and for fun!

Hog traps make alot of sense when you want to hunt and catch hogs without actually being on the property. Alot of the guys that do hog removal use them exclusively. There are several different types of traps and the designs vary widely.

Here you will see a few different types with the different designs that are used to trap wild hogs. The biggest difference in trapping and hunting hogs is that a trapper can remove a larger number of animals from a property in a shorter time with the right set up.

The part I enjoy the most is that you can build several different styles. Finding the right type of trap to fit your property and hunting style is important. Size is a major factor. Not everyone has a semi-trailer to haul their trap on. So, here’s the basics.

Spring Door Trap

Note the spring that is attached to the door in the diagram.

This type of trap is usually build from angle iron or square tubing. The design of the door is such that other hogs can enter the trap after it has been tripped from the inside.

Sometimes additional hogs will enter the trap because the hogs inside the trap lure them in.

The disadvantages of this type of trap and the one listed below is that the doors do not lock shut. In other words, it is possible for the hogs to either get stuck in the door and let the others out or for the hogs inside the trap to open the door and let them out.

Rooting Trap Door

The principal in design is very similar to the spring loaded door above.

Additional hogs can enter the trap after it has already been tripped.

The rooting door rests against the bottom of the trap, or the ground when it is in the “tripped” position.

These types of traps are possibly some of the easiest for additional hogs to get out of. They will learn to lift the rooting door to escape.

Alot of trappers weld a small piece of expanded metal across the bottom so the hogs cannot get their nose into it and lift it for the others to get out. To me it is more likely for hogs to get out as another (larger) hog is trying to enter the trap.

Either way, both types of hog traps work very well. They will trap hogs and the frames can be built easily.

Guillotine Door Hog Trap

A guillotine door hog trap works just like you think. The front door of the trap falls straight down and usually locks in place (so the hogs can’t push it up with their nose) when the trap is tripped.

This kind of trap can be a little tricky to set and care should be taken with your fingers not to hurt yourself. Its easy to do, and we’ve all done it.

The dimensions are typically the same for the box trap with this type of door. The front of this door usually is a little more dependent that the other two types of doors. This one locks in place and doesn’t move until you get there to check the trap.

Care should be taken with type of hog trap to make sure that the door does not lift too easily. If it does you are very likely to show up to find an empty hog trap. The hogs will stick their nose in the door and lift it to escape or let others out.

Installing a latch that falls into place when the door shuts to keep it closed will help you avoid this problem. This usually only happens with the larger hogs, so if you are trapping smaller hogs, you probably don’t need to worry about it.

Some people install an adjustable bar across the opening that can be raised and lowered. This will only allow hogs of a certain size to enter the trap. This way you can make sure you are only trapping the smaller, tastier hogs if that’s what your prefer.

Permanent Hog Traps

These types of traps work very well if you need to take a large number of animals off a property.

When I am trapping for property owners this is usually the type of trap I will put together. It has alot of advantages.

You can almost always trap more than one hog. You can also set the trip wire so that only the larger animals will set off the trap. Some people will monitor their traps so closely that they will sit in a tree stand and trip them manually so as to capture as many hogs in the sounder as possible. My friend Flint Knapper does this, and boy does it work like a charm for him.

The gate at the front of the trap is called a “HOG TRAP FRONT”. This is the “front” of the trap where the locking mechanisms are located. When you set the front of the trap, the only thing left to do is set the trip wire, and your holding pen. Hog trap fronts can be built a few different ways.